Sand Creek rolls to another easy boys' soccer victory, this time over Mesa Ridge

Sand Creek's boys' soccer team scored so fast, so early that some members of the coaching staff missed it.

"I didn't even see the goal," Scorpions coach Jeremy Tafoya said.

He was talking to his players and coaches on the sidelines when Sand Creek's defense stole the ball after the kickoff and got it to senior Cayden Gilbert, who found sophomore Alan Bautista for the first score of Wednesday's nonconference game at Mesa Ridge. The sequence took only 15 seconds, and the Scorpions never let up in a 7-1 win.

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Bautista, a transfer student from Mexico City, had two goals and two assists to boost Sand Creek's record to 4-0. In their first four games, the Scorpions have outscored their opponents 38-4.

"When we get the ball moving around, it's hard to stop," Tafoya said. "We're a senior-heavy team and we like to score."

Two minutes after the opening goal, Bautista assisted on a score by senior Juan Hernandez. That was followed by another score from Bautista, thanks to an assist by junior Gossaye Burdick.

The Grizzles (3-1) made it interesting in the 14th minute, when senior Tristian Widic scored to cut the lead to 3-1.

Still, that wasn't enough to rattle the Scorpions. Senior Garrett Kramer scored on an assist from Gilbert and junior Jayden Austin scored on a penalty kick, putting Sand Creek well ahead at 5-1.

The early scores were unexpected, Tafoya said.

"I knew it was going to be a physical game," he added. "So for me, let's try to take away that physicality, let's try to take away a little bit of their hope."

The Scorpions finalized the victory with two second-half scores by Jesse Bridge and Bautista. Kramer assisted on the latter goal.

"The early goal helps the team gain motivation and to go harder," Bautista said through a Spanish-speaking translator. "We're trying to find good chemistry."

Tafoya said his team has state championship aspiration and he doesn't believe his team has been challenged yet. The Scorpions' biggest test this season comes Tuesday, when they face Kennedy of Denver, which improved to 4-0 after a 1-0 win over Skyview on Tuesday.

"Right now, we haven't had a match where anyone can compete with us yet," Tafoya said.